Chapter 408 Hope in Despair
At NASA headquarters in Washington, the news was like an atomic bomb going off.
What was originally thought to be an ordinary medical incident turned out to be a potentially fatal emergency, and Director Jim Bartha immediately initiated the highest emergency procedures.
Since the Columbia space shuttle disaster in 2003, the U.S. space industry has not encountered any fatal disasters. If something happens to Steven, he will not be able to explain.
On February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia entered the atmosphere over Texas and Louisiana and was about to complete its 28th mission.
At this time, an accident occurred. The space shuttle exploded and disintegrated, killing all seven astronauts on board.
In that accident, the wreckage of the Columbia exploded from the outskirts of Dallas to Tyler, and even part of the wreckage fell into Louisiana.
Like the Challenger space shuttle accident in 1986, the space shuttle was grounded for two years.
Although this is a medical incident, it is difficult for people to accept the death.
The Internet, newspapers, and television are already following this news. Everything is exposed to the magnifying glass of public opinion. No one can face the surging pressure of public opinion. Even if the entire United States gathers the strength of the United States, we must try our best to prevent the accident from happening.
Director Jim Bartha was keenly aware of the seriousness of the situation and immediately flew with the chief medical officer and a group of officials from Washington to Houston to personally direct the emergency medical incident. He also brought a laptop with him throughout the entire process for online video communication.
Dozens of the top medical experts in the United States gathered in Houston, and professional matters were left to professionals. Jim Bartha's role was only to coordinate and mobilize all resources to deal with this emergency.
Jim Bartha was glad that he had made a decisive decision to launch Falcon 9 ahead of schedule. Otherwise, he would have had to wait more than ten days, and it was possible that something would happen to Steven before the diagnosis was clear.
Exactly which link went wrong will be decided afterward. What needs to be done now is how to get Steven back to Earth safely.
The director and his party got off the plane and hurried to the Houston ground control center. Collins handed him a cup of instant coffee. Jim Bartha was not in the mood to drink it and asked impatiently: "What should we do?"
Now only the doctors present can give him an answer. In addition to experts in aerospace medicine, the doctors present are the most elite medical talents in the United States, especially Johnathan, Eugene, and Massimo, who are experts in surgery, internal medicine, and interventional medicine. This neurosurgical disease is simply the golden triangle of the world.
"Intracranial aneurysm, a blood vessel bursting at any time, passes through the life center of the brainstem. If it returns without treatment, it will definitely lead to death. There will be no second outcome." Massimo told Jim Basa.
The simulation results of GG Company have been reported. The computer simulated 10,000 times at the same time, and 100% died due to burst blood vessels on the way back.
Jim Basa took out a tissue and wiped his sweat. He just wanted to ask: "Can I risk returning to Earth?"
"Can it only be treated on the space station?" Jim Basa asked.
"Yes, interventional treatment is the only option. The medical kit we sent this time contains interventional equipment, but this artery is a very small, unnamed artery. It passes through the nerve nucleus. Even the smallest instruments in our medical kit can't do anything. Complete the interventional surgery," Massimo dismissed Jim Barca's question.
Can't return, and have no treatment? Can we just wait for death up there?
Jim Basa doesn’t understand. These doctors have been studying and studying, but there is still nothing they can do?
They asked for the rocket to be sent in advance and sent Susan and the equipment up. Jim Bartha slapped his forehead and signed immediately. The rocket was already in the sky.
"The problem now is that my laboratory has thinner catheter guide wires and spring coils. Even if they are sent up, no one can complete the operation. Even if I are sent up, I can't complete the operation on the space station. The guide wire is in the cranium." It has to pass through countless tortuous blood vessels, and if you are not careful, it will pierce the blood vessels and lead to death. On earth, I am still 20% sure. In the microgravity environment of the space station, a person without strict training will He couldn't even complete simple movements, let alone such a delicate operation. "Masimo has never said anything so unconfident in his life.
Jim Bartha couldn't understand the DSA image of the whole cerebral vasculature.
"What do you think? Could a telemedicine device help?" Jim Bartha asked the chief engineer, scientist Richard Franklin.
Richard was not optimistic: "Telemedicine equipment has poor tactile feedback and uncertain delays. According to Dr. Massimo, the success rate should be less than 20%."
Richard's understanding is very good. He is not a medical student, but he quickly grasped the key points of the problem.
"It is impossible to send a doctor to the sky. There is not enough time. The best hope is to use telemedicine equipment to complete this rescue." Dr. Richard had a clear idea.
"Massimo, I have trained on this remote device. It was developed by Intuition Company in cooperation with NASA. Even if you have the best surgical robot control experience, you can't surpass your current success rate." Johannessen didn't think it would be of much help.
Massimo also knows the shortcomings of this equipment: "Uncertain delay and lack of tactile feedback are fatal weaknesses that infinitely reduce the success rate of surgery."
"Perhaps, there is someone who can do it?" Johannessen suddenly remembered. "Who?" Jim Basa stood up and leaned forward.
I had just been knocked out by these doctors and had been depressed, and now someone suggested that someone could do it, and I saw a ray of light in the darkness.
Johannesson paused: "A Chinese doctor, if anyone in this world can do it, he is the only one I can think of. I saw him complete the removal of a brain stem tumor with my own eyes. This kind of surgery is in our hands." The success rate is less than 5%, but he can achieve 80%.”
"Chinese?"
Jim Basa was a little hesitant. This matter would definitely be exposed to the public eye throughout the whole process, and it would be embarrassing for the Chinese to resolve it in the end.
But the pragmatist Jim Bassa doesn't care about so many people. Without people on top, it would be even more embarrassing.
"Professor Johnathan, you have to be responsible for your words and deeds. Johns Hopkins has the most advanced interventional medicine in the world. Can they surpass us? Many of China's top interventional experts were trained by us." Massimo said seriously warned Johanneson.
"I am responsible for my speech, Miss Secretary, please make the necessary records, but I am not sure whether he is proficient in intervention, but I am sure that no one in this world understands this disease better than him, maybe He has a way.”
"There was once a case where I was invited for consultation. We always believed that the success rate of the operation would not exceed 5%. Until I met this young man, his calmness and calmness made me unforgettable for the rest of my life. He told me, The success rate in this case can reach 80%.”
"Do you know? I watched the entire operation. He used a 0.1 mm laser scalpel to completely remove the tumor in the middle of the nerve mass that controls heartbeat and breathing. During the operation, there were four cardiac arrests, one of which lasted for 20 years. It took an electric defibrillation to save her, and during the last period of arrest, she fought against death to perform surgery, and then rescued her after the operation. He had anticipated all these before the operation. "
"After watching the entire operation, as a visitor, I almost collapsed. He is the god of surgery in my heart, Massimo. To put it bluntly, if he was proficient in intervention, you would be overshadowed." Johannesson said seriously , not like nonsense at all.
Massimo shook his head: "Johnathan, you are a rigorous neurosurgery expert, what are you talking about. I don't understand. There are such people in this world, how could I not know?"
"It doesn't matter if you don't understand. I don't expect you to understand. I just want to say, invite him! This is the best hope. Steven is waiting in the sky now. Maybe the blood vessels will explode in the next second - -" Johannessen understood that at this time, he was powerless to convince others.
"If you want Steven to live, invite him to Houston immediately. If there is nothing he can do, it means God has given up on Steven." Johannessen said firmly.
"I'm going through this at the same time as Professor Griffin from Anderson Cancer Center and Professor Woodhead from Twin Cities Spine Center. You can invite them to attend the meeting immediately. Believe me, even if he can't do interventional surgery, he can Instruct us how to deal with this emergency, I! Johannesson! In the name of God, please come." Johannesson stood up and said excitedly.
"We are all the top doctors in the United States. Are you inviting a Chinese to handle a national emergency for us? Don't you think it's ridiculous? Captain America saved the entire United States, and the moment he turned around, he turned out to be a Chinese." Ma. Seamus is a conservative American.
"Is there a problem? I think it's great, Dr. Massimo, do you have a better way? How much more will the 20% success rate have after it is diluted by a distance of 400 kilometers?" Johannesson was at this time. Unable to argue, only to beat them sharply.
Massimo was speechless for a moment. He had never been so humiliated, but he was a man who respected the facts.
"Are you sure this person is okay?" Massimo compromised. Johannesson was by no means a person who spoke freely.
"I'm not sure, but if he can't do anything, there probably isn't anything he can do, at least that's what I know." Johannessen replied.
"Contact him immediately!" Jim Basa doesn't care who he is, as long as he can solve the current problem.
"Let me try. He is in New York during this time. I'm not sure if he has left." Johannesson took out his mobile phone.
Ten minutes later: "He has already boarded the plane, and the plane has taken off five hours ago."
Jim Basa lowered his head: "Are you sure he is the best hope?"
"In the name of God!" Johannessen reiterated.
Hope in despair must be grasped no matter what, Jim Barsa makes the most important decision.
Nearly 7,000 words, three chapters combined into two chapters, finished. Thank you everyone for waiting.
(End of chapter)